Cervical Health Awareness

Cervical cancer is nearly 100 percent preventable, yet each year, about
15,000 women in the United States learn that they have cancer of the cervix. The occurrence of deaths from cervical cancer has declined significantly. The
good news is that cervical cancer is preventable and curable if it is detected
early. Cervical cancer rates are higher among older women; however, cervical
intraepithelial neoplasia (or CIN), the precursor lesion to cervical cancer,
most often occurs among younger women. Therefore, screening younger women is an
important strategy that can actually prevent cervical cancer from developing
almost 100 percent of the time. Furthermore, when cervical cancer is detected at
its earliest stage, the 5-year survival rate is more than 90 percent.

Studies that have identified risk factors associated with cervical cancer
have shown that cervical cancer is closely linked to

Experts agree that infection with certain strains of the HPV is one of the
strongest risk factors for cervical cancer. The sexual behaviors specifically
associated with greater risk are intercourse at an early age, multiple male
sexual partners, and sex with a male partner who has had multiple sexual
partners. Experts also agree that one of the most important things a women can
do to reduce their risk of cervical cancer is to receive regular screening with
a Pap test.